The Rookie Season 8 Is Ripe For The Return Of A Relationship Even More Important Than Chenford
While it feels less like the focus of the show ever since characters like Chen and Nolan graduated from training, The Rookie is first and foremost supposed to be about its characters learning to become better cops, even when facing major flaws in the system. Coming into The Rookie season 8, Lucy’s going to need guidance with that once more.
Nyla Acted As Lucy’s Mentor In The Rookie Seasons 2 & 3
She Taught Chen Things That Bradford Couldn’t
Although she was primarily trained by Bradford, Chen’s time with Harper accounted for some of the most important episodes of The Rookie. They first rode together in The Rookie season 2, when Nyla had to teach Lucy to toughen up after she was overtaken by a suspect. Nyla forced Lucy to the ground before dispensing harsh words of wisdom:
“Stay down, and get used to that position. Because in case you didn’t know, you are not a 6’2”, 180-pound man. Now, Tim might be a good TO, but he can’t teach you to fight like a girl. We get a higher show of force, especially from men. So, guess what, sweetheart? You are always going to be tested, and when you are alone against a desperate suspect, and you are between them and freedom, your thoughts can never be, ‘Oh, my, he’s bigger than me.’ Look here, Not Nolan, if you are going to survive these streets as a 5’6” woman—and one of color, no less—you better learn what these boys don’t know to teach.”
Nyla would show her softer side after Lucy was kidnapped and buried alive by a serial killer later in the season. Nyla went out of her way to take Lucy from Tim for the day, so Chen could relate to another woman, and this, along with their first ride together, helped establish Lucy’s desire to emulate Nyla by working undercover.
When it came time to train Lucy for undercover work, Nyla brought out her harsher side again. With the help of another undercover cop named Mark Murray, Nyla fooled Lucy into thinking she was being tortured for information to see if Chen would break character. Lucy wasn’t thrilled about the deception, but she earned the right to begin undercover ops.
Sadly, the mentor relationship between them largely fizzled out after this. Although there’s an undeniable camaraderie between all the show’s longest-running characters, Lucy doesn’t really turn to Nyla for guidance anymore in the way that she once did. However, with everything happening in Lucy Chen’s story right now, it might be time to revive that aspect of their bond.
Why The Rookie Season 8 Is The Perfect Time To Bring Back Nyla’s Mentorship
Lucy And Tim Have Other Things To Discuss Right Now
Lucy’s squad did roll out immediately when she called for help saving Miles in The Rookie season 7 finale, but it shouldn’t require another cop to be endangered by a violent street gang for Lucy’s patrol to do their jobs. And since that’s the last we’ve seen of them, there’s no reason to believe this change in behavior will last.
Theoretically, Tim would make a better mentor than Nyla in this regard, since his career trajectory is a lot more similar to Lucy’s. However, Lucy and Tim’s relationship in The Rookie is no longer strictly professional. They’re in the middle of navigating their emotions as they rekindle their romance, which will likely make work discussions feel more personal than usual.
What Made Nyla And Lucy’s Mentor Relationship So Compelling
Harper Helped Chen Become The Person She Is Today
The most obvious benefit to Nyla’s relationship with Lucy is that Harper has a more relatable perspective than Tim’s generally able to offer someone like Chen. Although Nyla never belittles Tim’s own experiences as a cop, she makes the valid point about their first day together that Bradford can’t really advise Chen on the nuances of being a non-white, female officer.
Many of Chen’s best moments in The Rookie’s recent seasons can be attributed to Nyla as well. Using Lucy’s experience as a hostage to try and traumatize her into breaking cover was unquestionably devious, but Chen has since become more associated with undercover work than any other series regular. Nyla’s methods seem borderline abusive at times, but they get results.
And those results remain visible to this day. The Rookie season 7’s documentary episode suggests Chen and Bradford have difficulty working together without things getting personal. This isn’t always the case, but Tim was nowhere around when Lucy dove headfirst through a window to keep a baby from getting stabbed. Her time with Nyla helped harden Lucy into that person.
Nyla even had a lasting impact on Chen’s personal life. It was during her first undercover training operation that Lucy first met Tamara, with whom she’s since become close friends. Harper isn’t just part of Chen’s cop DNA. She and Chen are inextricable parts of each other’s lives. It wouldn’t hurt for The Rookie season 8 to revisit their history.
How The Rookie Season 8 Can Resurrect Nyla’s Mentorship Of Lucy
She’ll Need To Bring Out Her Harsher Teaching Methods
Lucy’s undercover work in The Rookie already provides an easy pathway to putting her and Nyla on a case together, although showrunner Alexi Hawley has previously said the creative team hasn’t finalized a plan for how to incorporate undercover ops into Lucy’s role as sergeant. Nonetheless, like she did after Chen’s kidnapping, Nyla could catch on that Lucy’s currently overwhelmed.
In fact, with so many recurring The Rookie villains running around free right now, it’s possible that Lucy taking so many calls solo could put her in a more dangerous position than ever before. Last time something like that happened to Chen, Nyla was extremely forceful with Tim that she needed to be the one to help Lucy through it.
But if either of these circumstances come to pass, Harper shouldn’t address Lucy with her rarely worn kid gloves. Harper and Chen’s mentor relationship in The Rookie has always revolved around Lucy finding her inner strength. Now that Chen’s in a leadership role, Nyla should be hammering in that lesson harder than ever until it finally takes hold for good.
